The real world, eight in the morning, Magic City.
Dew clung to the leaves, and the bluestone paving still held the chill of the night. This was a street of jade shops. Perhaps because the Bird and Flower Market was right next door, all the shops here kept pets: cats, dogs, birds, and even fish.
The birds were the noisiest in the morning, especially the mynahs.
They chattered nonstop, greeting anyone who passed with a hello.
Carrying soy milk and fried dough sticks, Yue Xiamo took several turns along the street, then followed a narrow lane to Antique Street, where the shops were only just opening.
"Xiao Jiejun, is your boss back yet?"
Xiao Jiejun was wiping down a coffin displayed in the shop. He glanced up and said casually, "No. I don't know where he's gone either. But we've made a few new urns. Want to buy one?"
"What do they look like? Let me see."
Taking the sample Xiao Jiejun handed her, Yue Xiamo asked, "He should be back today, right?"
"Probably." Xiao Jiejun checked the schedule. "People asking for his help have booked him from September 27 through October 12."
Yue Xiamo took a bite of her fried dough stick. "That's not all that much."
"October 12 next year."
"...Impressive."
At the same time, in a city in the southwest, sunlight pierced a gap in the curtains. Wei Yanchi's eyes snapped open. He stared dazedly at the white ceiling above him, then pushed himself up and held his faintly aching head.
Where was Mr. 39?
He paused, surveying the room with an expressionless face. There was no wallpaper, just a simple coat of white paint. Aside from a bed, the room contained nothing. It could only be described as extremely bare.
Where was this?
His last memory